Cons:

Has literally no gun depression, with the gun mounted high above ground.

Performance

The 203mm B-4 gun is more accurate when mounted on this artillery than on the contemporary Soviet artillery, the S-51. Furthermore, you have a significant advantage in ammo capacity.

Early Research

Only the 12RT Radio carries over from the SU-8. Mount this immediately.

First, research the SU-14-1 Suspension. You have an option to research the 152 mm BR-2 and 203 mm B-4 first although you will not be able to use any equipment over 83 kgs while the 152mm BR-2 is mounted due to weight constraints.

If the suspension has been researched first, research the 152 mm BR-2 followed by the M-17F engine as this will give you a bit more mobility for reasonably little XP.

Finally, research the 203 mm B-4.

Suggested Equipment

Galerie

Historical Info

An old Soviet self-propelled artillery piece (SU-14) before its test firing. It was based on the heavy T-35 tank -- note the lack of an armoured box around the gun/crew

The experimental SU-14 was built in 1934 (possibly 2 were built) as heavy self-propelled guns for mechanized units for the destruction of strengthened fortifications.

The SU-14 was based on the T-35 chassis with other elements from both the T-28 and T-35. The engine was located in the front and the howitzer was openly-mounted. The original SU-14 had the 203mm B-4. The SU-14 was equipped with two 200 kg cranes for use with the ammunition, two spades, and had to have its suspension disconnected during firing; it could fire only from the stationary position. Its manoeuvrability and speed were satisfactory. Also, operation of the howitzer was convenient. But, its size was large, armour was insufficient, and it had problems with over-driven transmissions.

The SU-14 was tested in 1935 and its engine and transmission were modified (improved SU-14-1 was built in 1936 - it had better and more reliable transmission, improved spades, more powerful engine M-17F 680 hp). On both Self-propelled Guns, the 203mm howitzer was replaced by the 152.4mm naval gun B-30 and Br-2 (which had better range and rate of fire) in 1936. It was planned to produce 5 copies with the 152.4mm gun Br-2 (SU-14-2), but that plan was rejected due to the arrest of the chief engineers of the project.

See left most (or top most) blueprint below.

In 1936, the new experimental self propelled gun SU-14-1 was built and tested. It was the improved version of the SU-14 with the transmission from a T-35 heavy tank (not from T-28 medium tank as in the case of SU-14), more powerful engine, modernized spades, and without the ineffective suspension needing to be disconnected during firing. An additional artillery tractor, “Comintern”, was used as ammunition carrier (50-60 shells) for the SU-14-1. See right most (or bottom most) blueprint above.

In 1936, the 203mm howitzer was also replaced by the 152.4mm gun Br-2 mod.1935 with better range and rate of fire. The SU-14-1 was equipped with a radio station and additional armour in 1940 for use during the Winter War against Finnish fortifications (Mannerheim line) from a short distance. That SPG was renamed the SU-14-Br2 and was the predecessor of heavy SPGs of the WWII period. Now, the SU-14-2 is preserved at the Russian tank museum (Kubinka).

SU-14 Br2 Blueprint

SU-14 Br2 in Kubinka

Combat Usage

The Winter War

The SU-14 was used quite successful in the destruction of Finnish fortifications during the Winter War.

World War II

In April 1940, the SU-14 and SU-14-1 were going through tests in NIAP, and in July, were in P.F. Lebedev's tank group in the Kiev Region. In September 1940, both units were given to NIBT for storage. In the fall of 1941, when defending Moscow, both SU-14s and an experienced SU T-100-U in a unit called "Separate Heavy Division for Special Purposes" were used in the Kubinka Region to fire from protected positions at advancing German forces (likely, they were using any working weapon available).

The variant descriptions and the pictures don't exactly match (they came from 2 different sources). It is relatively clear that only 3 vehicles were produced. 2 were likely the SU-14 with the 203mm and 1 was the SU-14-1 with the 203mm. Later, the 203mm gun was replaced with the 152.4mm gun. However, from the 3 pictures directly above, we get some discrepancies. One picture (1st in the row of 3 above) shows the front view of an SU-14 with both armour AND the short 203mm gun. This does not have a variant name. Likewise, the 3rd picture in the group of 3 shows the original plating between the tracks (you can see where it extends to cover the drive wheels and has rectangular holes instead of circular ones). From the the blueprints, this is an SU-14 and not the SU-14-1 modified to an SU-14-Br2. I'm assuming that the armour was tacked on to one (or more likely both) of the original SU-14 prototypes, but they left the 203mm howitzer in. Possibly, this was done so they could participate in the Winter War.